Heuchera plant named ‘Boysenberry’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Heuchera  plant named ‘Boysenberry’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounded plant habit; densely foliated and bushy appearance; reddish brown-colored leaves; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Heuchera×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BOYSENBERRY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Heuchera plant ofHeuchera, botanically known as Heuchera×hybrida and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Boysenberry’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Heucheraplants with attractive leaf colors with good garden performance.

The new Heuchera plant originated from a cross-pollination in April,2010 in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection ofHeuchera×hybrida identified as code number 083-09-C006, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with Heuchera×hybrida ‘Crimson Curls’,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,729, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Heuchera plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inHeerhugowaard, The Netherlands in July, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera plant by tissue culture incontrolled laboratory and greenhouse environments in Andijk, TheNetherlands since March, 2013 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Heuchera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Heuchera plant has not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Boysenberry’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Boysenberry’ as a new and distinct Heucheraplant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Densely foliated and bushy appearance.    -   3. Reddish brown-colored leaves.    -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ from plants of the female parentselection in leaf color as plants of the female parent selection havedarker-colored leaves. In addition, leaves of plants of the new Heucherahave deeper lobes than leaves of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ from plants of the male parent,‘Crimson Curls’, in leaf color as plants of ‘Crimson Curls’ have darkpurple brown and crimson-colored leaves. In addition, leaf margins ofplants of the new Heuchera are not as undulate (curly) as leaf marginsof ‘Crimson Curls’.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of theHeuchera×hybrida ‘Peach Flambe’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.17,195. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Heuchera differprimarily from plants of ‘Peach Flambe’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heuchera are more vigorous than plants of        ‘Peach Flambe’.    -   2. Plants of the new Heuchera and ‘Peach Flambe’ differ in leaf        color as plants of ‘Peach Flambe’ have rust to burgundy-colored        leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Heuchera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Heuchera plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Boysenberry’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Boysenberry’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical leaves of ‘Boysenberry’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in17-com containers in an outdoor nursery in Wieringerwerf, TheNetherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Heucheraproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 10° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 15° C.Plants were 14 weeks old when the photographs and the description weretaken. In the description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera×hybrida ‘Boysenberry’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Heuchera×hybrida identified as code number 083-09-0006, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Heuchera×hybrida ‘Crimson Curls’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,729.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 42 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 50 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in            color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; basal rosette            plant habit with leaves developing from the base; densely            foliated and dense and bushy appearance; compact and            uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth            habit.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19.5            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About 32            cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 39.3 cm.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—About 15 leaves per basal rosette;            leaves, simple.        -   Length.—About 9.9 cm.        -   Width.—About 9.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Overall, broadly ovate; palmately lobed.        -   Apex.—Abruptly acute.        -   Base.—Hastate, lobes touching to slightly imbricate.        -   Margin.—Five or occasionally seven-lobed; crenate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent; pubescence more prominent            along veins.        -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 187B and            187C. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N186D.            Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 178B; fading            to closer to 182A, 164B and 165B; venation, close to 175A to            175C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N186D            and 187D; venation, close to 186C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 14.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 184B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single campanulate flowers            arranged on compound spikes; each spike with about 90            flowers; about 650 flowers develop per plant during the            flowering season; flowers face mostly outward to slightly            drooping.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Time of flowering.—Plants flower continuously from the late            spring into the summer in The Netherlands.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Individual flowers last about one            week on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 32.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence width.—About 7.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 7 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to 153D; towards the base,            close to 178B.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals in a single            whorl. Length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 0.8 mm. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Matte. Color: When opening, upper and            lower surfaces: Lighter than NN155D. Fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces: Lighter than NN155D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals in a single            whorl; fused at base. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About            1.5 mm. Shape: Roughly elliptic. Apex: Broadly acute.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth. Texture            lower surface: Densely pubescent. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 145C. When opening, lower surface: Close            to 153D; towards the base, close to 178B. Fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 145C. Fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 161B to 161C; towards the base, close to 200D.        -   Peduncles.—Length, primary: About 31.5 cm. Length, lateral:            About 0.5 cm to 3.5 cm. Diameter, primary: About 2 mm.            Diameter, lateral: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong.            Aspect, primary: Mostly erect. Aspect, lateral: About 70°            from primary peduncles. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to            187A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Color: Close to 187C to 187D;            distally, close to 200D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five per            flower. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close            to NN155D. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther shape:            Deltoid. Anther color: Close to 199D. Amount of pollen:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 173D. Gynoecium: Pistil            number: Two per flower. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma            shape: Pointed. Stigma color: Close to 152A. Style length:            About 3.75 mm. Style color: Close to 150D; towards the base,            close to 145B. Ovary color: Close to 145A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Heuchera.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests has    not been observed on plants of the new Heuchera grown under    commercial conditions.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Heuchera have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate high temperatures about    35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 3.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Heuchera plant named ‘Boysenberry’as illustrated and described.